Saturday, February 28, 2009

Sketch book detail of a grove study. Experiments with higgins sepia ink with fountain black ink as well. Dip pen with tinted washes on Ingres paper (Fabriano Classic Artist's Journal). I was taking a look at some of Ruben's pen and ink and wash studies, sometimes with chalk, beyond mind blowing!

Today I saw some work by Salomon van Ruysdael (1602-1670, Haarlem) and was struck how thin and translucent the large water themed landscape was painted. He was the uncle of Jacob van Ruisdael considered one of the greatest landscape painters and a huge influence on Turner.

Small experimental riverbank study from imagination (4"x4") in gouache & watercolor. Chinese white was used from a watercolor line, rather than gouache. This was painted on a clay based primed panel that has an absorbent watercolor paper quality to the surface. Gum arabic used in the darker passages to increase depth.